Operating means for doors.



G. J. KOSTBRS.

OPERATING MEANS FOR DOORS. APPLIOATIONIILBD FEB. 16, 1912.

Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

G. J. KOSTERS.

OPERATING MEANS FOR'DO'ORS.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.16, 1912. Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

3 SHEET5-SHEIf-T 2.

A G. J. KOSTERS OPERATING MEANS FOR DOORS.

APPLICATIDH TILED FEB, 16, 1912.

Patented Dec. 10, 1912 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. mm GP lar character, compartments are provided for the incarceration or safe enoacn J. Kos'rEas, or .COVINGTON, nnnrucnr.

OPERATING MEANS FOR DOORS.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Dec. 1c, 1912.

Application filed February 16, 1912. Serial No. 678,054.

useful Improvement .in Operating Means for Doors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, ing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invent-ion relates to a means for the. opening and closing of doors, particularly of such doors as the sliding doors locking,

of prison cells, In such institutions as prisons, jails,

where manyseparate cells or keeping of .persons or animals, it is customary, for the purpose of guarding against oversight in the looking or unlocking of any one or more cells, as well as to facilitate the performance of such duties, to operate the doors and looks of a number of cells from asingle station. In the ordinary arrangement of cells in prisons and jails, th'edoors of all opening upon a corridor in front of the cells. mentioned, all the doors of a row are op eratively connected, the operating station being located at the end of the row. In the use of. he means at present employed to efiect this operative connection, the number of cells in each row, or operative unit, is limited, and therefore it is found necessary to have a number of such operating stations; and in large institutions the number of such stations is so multiplied, thatthe advantage over the old method of separatel operating each door, is purely relative, a large riskof oversight or error scribed, whereby the operation of all such still remaining. I j

To overcome this difliculty is the chief object of my invention, and'this I accomplish by the use of means, hereinafter fully dedoors. and locks comprised in an entire prison or -other similar institution, howsoever large the number. thereof may be, may be effected at a single station, thus enabling one operator in a single operation to assure the desired'result throughout the entire institution. v I

A further object of my invention is" to provide means whereby become automatically locked in either open reference be- I and divers others of'a simithey are placed in rows,

For the purpose above however,

the cell doors will or closed position, struction and lower of the means for operating and locking such doors. I a

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation showing my invention as applied to two of a-seriesof doors; Fig. 2 is. an enlarged view ofthe' upper part of one of said doors; Fig. 3 is a section online 33 of Fig. 2; of the operating parts; Fig. 5 is a-perspectiveofthe coupling arm; Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic sketch of several electrical circuits employed in the operation of d0OI'S-:iI1 accordance with my invention; Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the motor circuits for opening and closing the doors. I

The numeral 1 indicates the-door of a cell; this door adapted to ride on the track 3 in the ordinary manner either to open or close said door. Forming the jamb of said door is a hollow post within which is mounted the lock-bar 1; said bar is'adapted to vertical movement in said post, and has openings 5 and to simplify the eonthe'cost of production the switch board and Y has rollers 2 whereby it-Qis by means of which it engages notched lugs I 6 on the door, when said door is closed, to lock the same. The openings 5 and the lugs 6 may be dispensed with, however, as I lock my doors automatically in both open and closed positions by the mechanism hereinafter fully described.

Attached to the front wall of the cell, above the door, is a frame 7, in which are loosely mounted, on'pivots 8 and-9, the arms lO'and 11 of a toggle joint 12. On the upper end of the lock-bar 4 is a lug 13 which i s'perforated to receive a stud 14 on the arm; 10 of the'toggle, the free end of said arm and beyond the pivot 8. It will thus be seen that the raising or lowering of the lock-bar will produce a corresponding movement in the free ends of the arms 10' and 11 of the toggle. ,The free ends of said arms extend beyond the ends of the' frame 7, slots in the end plates thereof being provided for the movement of said arms, assh'own, and said free ends are provided with lifting lugs 15. and 16 just beyond the ends of said frame. Pivotally mounted on the upper part of the door 1 is a coupling arm 17 ;-said coupling arm -is bell crank in shape and has on its free end a dog 18 which is adapted to rest on either of the lifting lugs 15 or 16 according as the door is closed or open; The upper side of the frame 7 forms a table, or slideway, 19,

upon which the dog 18 is adapted to ride during the opening or closing of the door,

to hold said do at an elevation for, the purpose hereina for set forth.- When the door is either open or closed and the lockbar down, the dog 18, resting on either one of the liftingflugs or 16, will, abut against one endof tl1eframe'7, and thus,

of the locking mechanism independentl lie opening 5 and lugs 6, look comprisingt the door in *eitheropen' or closed-position,

The raising: of the engaged liftinglugs,

however,-w1ll lift-the dog 18, so that with the movement of, thejdoor it. will glide onto the table 19. V

Slidably mounted in hangers 20 above the mechanism above-described, isian operating 'bar 21, adapted to movement in the same directions as those traversed by the door in opening and closing. Said bar extends approximately the w ole length of a row of cells, and has a notch 22 for each door. The notch 22 is adapted to receive the dog 18 on the cou lifted byt e 'raising of the lock-bar has above described, 'When the operatin bar is thus brought into engagement'wit the coupling. arm, and through said arm,.- .-w-itli the door, by means of the dog 18 and notch 22, the operating bar-is moved either to the right or to the left, according as itis sought to open or close the .door, As soon as the door is moved slightly in either direction, the dog 18 will ride on the table 19, as.

above set forth, and will thus remain in'its elevated position where it will continue in engagement with the. notch 22, even though the lifting lug by which it was initially raisedis again lowered by reason of the dropping of the lock-ban. When .thedoor reaches the'end of its movement, 21. 6., when it is either fully opened or closed, the dog 18 will leave the table 19, and rest on the opposite liftinglug, where it will be in position again to be raised upon the raising of the lock-bar and to be placed inengage ment with the operating bar to return the door to its originalposition'.

In theactuation of the several functions of my device as above described, I prefer to em loy a combination of electrical means tion thus far disclosed is susceptible of other, ,mechanical, actuation, the method and means of which will be readily apparent-to. one skilled in the art, and therefore I do not limit myself to electrical actuation as below set forth, but contemplate, also. the mechanical actuation of the mechanism a above described.

Secured to the front'wallof the cell, higher than the door, and in such position of the motor.

pling arm 17, when said dog is ereinafter described, but it will be, understood that that portion of my inven-.

that the upper end of-the lock-bar may re- I,

ciprocate between its two coils, is a solenoid magnet 23, which, when magnetized, lifts the armature 24, which reciprocates in the hollow-cores of the coils in the ordinary manner. The armature is secured to a cross-piece 25 attached to the lock-bar, and

thus the lifting of the armature raises the lock-bar, unlocking the door, andthrowing into engagement the door and operatingworm 27 in the usual manner, thusIcommunicating to the operating bar the appropriate movements for openingandclosing the doors of the series.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings, I have shown diagrammatically the several electricalcin "'cuits required in the operation of 'my in-. vention, together with the means for properl makin and breaking such circuits. It

wi 1 be un erstood that in'the management of suchinstitutionsr'as jails, it' is necessary at times'toopen or-close only a single cell at other times, a numberof cells variously located, and at'still 'other times, it is de-; sirable to ,open' and close all cells simul-.,

taneously'. Furthermore, in the operation g .100 of my device, it is essential t-hat the doors" 3 shall lock automatically yvhen either opened or closed; and it is also essential properlyi tolimit the period of movement of the 0 erating'bar'. All of these ends are attained by me in the following manner. A switchboard is provided in the Warldens office, or 'atany other suitable and convenient place where it may be adequately protected from persons notentitled to'access thereto.' Said switchboard is provided with buttons 30,

there being one-such button for each 'cell to be operated'from said switchboard, or,

These buttons are numbered thenumbers if the one station is to serve-the entire in-. I

stitution, one button for each cell therein. .115

corresponding with the numbers of they cells.

Each of these buttons makes contact between i f I a wire 31 leading toone of the magnets'23, l i

which operates the lock-bar of the cell bear in}; the same numeral as the button, and a:

wire 32 leading to the battery 33. 'The op .posite. pole of thebattery is connected by means of a wire\34 to each of the magnets 23. It will thus be seen that by closing the button 30 designated as 1, for instance,

the magnet 23 over the door ofcell 1 will be energized, the lock-bar of said door will be lifted and the door unlocked. I Similarly with any one, or any series of said v the contact after noid 40.

' cuits and the nected in parallel. For the purpose of un;

locking all doors at one and the same time without thenecessity of closing all of the buttons 30, a multiple-contact button 35"is of the provided, a wire 36 leading from each wires 31, and being insulated-from each other. Thus, by closing the button 35, marked energized. v

' The buttons 30 and button 35 work in spring catches 37, the shank of the button engaging in a notch in the catch to continue the circuit has been closed by the operator. Each of these spring catches is attached to a bar 38, said bar being attached to the armature 39 of the sole- One pole of the said solenoid is connected by means of a wire 41 to the bat- 'tery 42. -The opposite pole of the battery 42 is-connected by a wire 43 to a contact post 44 on theoperating bar 21. The opposite pole of the solenoid is connected by the wire 45 to a contact-plate 46 on the wall of the cell; the post 44' and the plate 46 being adaptedto contact during the movement of the operating bar 21. The bar 38 is held in tension by means of the springs 47, so that the catches 37 will be normally in position to secure the shanks of the buttons 30 and button 35. The energizing of the solenoid 40, however, will cause a receding movement of the armature 39, and with it, of the bar 38, against the tension of the springs 47, and the buttons will be thereby released. Springs 48 are provided'to open the buttons when thus released? It will now be seen that upon the closing of any circuit or circuits by the operation of one or more of the buttons, the latter will be held, by means of the catches 37, in position to continue the circuit through the magnets 23 until the post 44 contacts with the plate 46, when the solenoid 40 will become-energized,

in g the buttons 30 or button 35 to be thrown to the open position by means of or springs 48. The magnets 23 will thus be demagnetized by the breaking of the ciragain be in position to close any desired circuit or circuits for the unlocking of any door or doors which it is desired to'open or close. An arm 49, attached to the bar 38,.

is provided so that in case of error inthe closing of anv button, thesaid button may be released without the necessity of'energizing the solenoid 40.

The switch arm 50 controls the motor circuit for the operation of the motor 26 whereby the operating bar 21 is moved; andthe polarization of said motor circuit-may be the terminals of said' wires All each one of'the magnets 23 will be simultaneouslywithdrawing the catches 37 and allow the spring buttons 30 and button 35 will changed for the purpose of reversing the movement of the operating bar in the man- 1 ner hereinafter set forth. The length of the stroke, or movement, of the operating bar, must, however, be limited, so that the notches 22 will at'a'll times in position to receive the dogs 18, and also to prevent injury to theworm or other parts of the mechanism hereinbefore described. For this purpose,-

the switch arm 50 is returned to its open position by either one of the springs 51-,

one of which is placed under tension by either the forward or reverse throw of the switch arm. To hold the circuit closed during the necessary operation of the motor, a lug 52 on the switch arm 50 is adapted to engage a notchin the'bar 53; said bar is mounted on the armature 54 of the solenoid 55; springs 56bear on the bar 53 and hold it in tension so that it will engage the lug 52 to holdthe switch arm 50 against the tension of one. of the springs 51. When the drawn, against'the tension of the springs 56, rdleasing thelug 52 and allowing the switch arm to be returned by the spring 51.

solenoid is energized, the bar" 53 is with- On the opposite side of the switch arm 50 4:

isa second notched bar 53, mounted on armature 57 of a solenoid 58, and held in tension by springs 56. Thus when the switch arm is thrown to the right, in operating the motor to open the doors, it will be "held by a bar 53 and will be released,

to stop the motor, by energizing the solenoid 55; similarly, when the arm is thrown to the left, in closing the doors, it will be held-by a bar53 and will be released by energizing the solenoid 58. The circuits through the solenoids 55 and 58 are completed as follows: On the switchboard, on

PP plates 59' and 60, adapted to bear on contacts 61 and 62 respectively on the switch arm 50 when said arm is thrown to the right or left. One pole of the battery 42 is connected by wires 63 and 64 with the contact osite sides of the arm 50, are contact.

plate 60 and solenoid 55 respectively. The

opposite pole of battery 42 is connected by wire 43 to the contact post 44 on the operating bar as heretofore explained. On-the wall of the cell, at points where the post 44 will rest upon one or the otherwhen the operating bar 21 has reached the limit of its motion in either direction, are contact plates 65 and 66'. Contact 65 is connected by a wire 67 with the solenoid 58; the opposite pole of said solenoid being wire 68 with the contact 62.

connected by Plate 66 is connected by wire 69 with plate 59. Solenoid 55 and contact 61 are connected by wire 7 0. Post 44 rests on contact 65 when the operating bar is in position to open the doors, or, in other words, when said bar has reached the limit of its movement in closing the doors; in this position it is bar reaches the limit of'its opening movement, and the doors are open. the post l-l will rest on plate (36. and. the latter being in the circuit with plate '59 and contact 51, the solenoid 55 will beenergized, thus releasing the switch. arm and permitting its return by spring 51; this will break the motor circuit at the proper time, and will also break the circuit through solenoid 55, by breaking the contact; between plate 59 and contact 61, thus preventing a continuous current through the solenoidofi while the doors are open and the operating bar is' at; the .limit of its opening movement.

To close the doors, the arm 50 is thrown to the left, starting the reverse movement of the motor and making contact between plate 60 and point 62. Now, the plate 66 is not in the, circuit with plate 60 and contact 62; hence tho-.making of the contact between the same while post 44 and plate (56 are contacting, will not energize the solenoid 58, and the arm will therefore be held in its position by lug 52 andbar 53. :The contacting of post 44 and plate 65, ho\vever, when the doors are fully'closed, plate 65 being in the circuit with plate 60 and contact 62, will energize the solenoid and release the arm 50, which will stop the motor and break the circuit. through the solenoid by, discontinuing contact between plate 60 and contact 62. To close the opened doors, it is only necessary to reverse-the motor, and for this purpose the switch arm 50 is thrown to the 4 left instead of to the right, as above stated. The forward and reverse motor circuits are shown in diagram in Fig. 7, which, as stated above, is a diagram of. the motor circuits for opening and closing the doors. Pivotally attached to the switch arm 50 is-a cross- 'arm 7L. Similarly attached to the ends of said cross-arm are auxiliary arms 72 and 73; each ofjsaid arms being also ivotally mounted on the switchboard. The ee ends of said auxiliary arms 72 and 73 are adapted to contact with plates 74 and 75 respectively.

The arm 50, besides being adapted tocon-l.

t'act with the'points 76 'of th e rheostat, has a depending finger 77 adapted to contact with contact points 78 and 790m the board.

connected to the auxiliary arms 72 and 73 by a wire 82-. Contacts '74 and 79 are connected by a 7111583, as are also contacts 75 and 7 8 by a wire 84:. Wires 85 and 86 lead to the motor 26. It will now be seen that, by throwing the arm 50 to'tho right, the finger 77 will make contact with the point 79 and auxiliary arm 73 with the-plate 75.

left, when the current passes fronrthe battery over. wire 81 to the reverse, or closing, contact points 76, over arm 50 to point 78, and over wire 86 to the motor; returning over wire 85, point 79, wire 83, plate 74,

auxiliary arm 72-and wire 82 tothe battery.

The operating mechanism over 7 the doors is inclosed in a box or casing 87, asshown in Fig. 3, to protect it from being tampered with. In Fig. 1 I; have shown, instead of the electric motor, a crank arm 88 and chain and sprocket gear 89 for the manual actuation of the operating bar 21.v

The operation of my invention is as fol lows: The operator first presses the-buttons 30 of such doors as he desires to open, or, if he desires to open all, the button 50' marked; the contacts thus effected ener 'ize the magnets 23 over the desired doors. The lock -bars are thus raised, and, with them, the dogsll'8, which are placed in engagement with the'operating bar 21. The doors thus unlocked and coupled with the operating bar asabove explained, remain'so, as the circuit through the magnets 23 is continued by the locking of the buttons 30 or button 35. The operator next throws thearm 50 to the"right; this starts the motor and closes one of the gaps in the circuit through solenoid 55.. As soon as the motor starts, the operating bar begins to move and the doors to open, the dogs 18 gliding from the lifting lugs 15 onto the tables-l9, where they are continued in engagement with the bar. 21 as above set forth. Midway the stroke of the operating bar, the post lt concuit. of magnets 23; the lock-bars, and with them the lifting lugs 15 and 16, are thus permitted vto drop. When the doors are fully open, the lifting lugslti having fallen, the dogs 18 will drop. from the tables 19, out of engagement with the operating bar, aiid rest upon said lugs, and lock the doors in their open position by their abutment against the ends of the frames 7, as heretofore explained.- At this point, also, 2'. 6., when the doors are fully opened, the other 66, and the motor circuitis broken, as

- I claim as new and means already been opened, the uncoupling of the gizing of said electromagnet said door will gap in the circuit of solenoid 55 is closed by the contact between post 44 and plate also, simultaneously, the circuit of the solenoid 55, in the manner above set forth. To close the opened doors, the buttons 30 of the doors desired to be closed are pressed; or, if it is desired at once to close all doors which may have been opened, the button All is pressed, this latter furnishing a valuable check and security in penal institutions in assuring the closing and locking of all cells at the proper times; the switch arm 50 is then thrown to the leftwhen theseveral circuits will be made and broken at the proper times. to efiect the closing and locking of the doors, the return of the buttons totheir open positions, and the stopping ot' the motor. It will be understood, of course,-that, where certain cellshave doors from the operating bar, in the manner, above described, will permit the return of the bar to open other doo'rs without the closing of the doors already opened, the latter remaining locked in their open position during the operation.

Having thus described my invention, what desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character specified, the combination with a door and an operat ing bar, of a coupling arm pivotally mounted on said door, a dog on said coupling arm, means whereby said dog is adapted normally to lock said door when the same is either in closed or open position, an electromagnet, and means whereby, upon the energizing of said electromagnet, said door locked and said coupling arm will be thrown into engagement with said operating bar.

2. In a device of the character specified, the combination with a door and an operating bar, of a coupling arm pivotally mounted on said door, an electromagnet, means whereby, upon the energizing of said electromagnet said coupling arm will be thrown into engagement with said operating bar, means to continue the engagement of said coupling arm and said operating bar during the opening or closing of said door, and for automatically denergizing said electromagnet during the movement of said door, whereby said door and said operating bar are automatically uncoupled when in either open or closed position.

3. In a device of the character specified, the combination with a door and an operating bar, of a coupling arm pivotally mounted on said door, means on said coupling arm for automatically locking said door, an electromagnet, means whereby, upon the ener-' be unlocked and said coupling arm will be thrown into engagement with said operating during the movement of said door,

will be uncoupling arm being adapted to bar, means to, continue the engagement of said coupling arm and said operating bar and adaptedeto throw said coupling arm into engagement with said operating bar upon the energizing of said electromagnet, means to continue the engagement of said coupling arm and said operating bar during its pas- I sage bet-ween said lugs, and means for automatically deenergizing said electromagnet whereby said door and said operating bar are automatically uncoupled when in either open or closed position.

5. In a device of the character. specified, the combination with a door and an operating bar ota toggle, the arms of said toggle being pivotally mounted adjacent said door at points intermediate the ends of said arms, a coupling arm pivotally mounted-on said door and adapted to be actuated by either of the arms of said toggle according as said door is either closed or open, to couple together said door. and said operating bar, and means for the actuation of said toggle arms.

6. Ina device of the character specified, the combination with a door and an operating bar, of a frame adjacent said door, a toggle, the armsof said toggle being pivotally mounted in said frame at points intermediate the ends of said arms, the free ends of said arms extending beyond the ends of said frame, a coupling arm pivotally mounted on said-door, the tree end of said rest upon the free ends of the arms of said toggle alternately when said door is opened and closed, andmeans for the actuation of said toggle arms to throw said coupling arm into engagement with said operating bar. 7. In a device of the character specified, the combination with aedoor and an operating bar, of a coupling arm pivotally mounted on said ,door, a frame mounted adjacent said-door, the upper side of said frame being adapted to serve as a coupling between said door and said oper ating bar during the opening and closing of said door, a toggle, the arms of said toggle being pivotally mounted in said frame at points intermediate the endsflof said arms, the free ends of said arms extending beyond the ends of said frame'and being normally lower than said slideway, said free ends bea slideway to maintain I ing bar, of a coupling arm pivotally mounting adapted to support the free end of said coupling arm when said door is in either closed or open position, a dog on said coupling arm adapted to abut against the ends of said frame to lock said door in either of said positions, and means for the actuation of said toggle arms-to lift the end of said coupling arm to throw the same into engagement with said operating bar and to permit said dog to glide onto said slideway during,

the movement of said door.

8. In a device of the character specified, the combination with a door andanvoperated on said door, a frame mounted adjacent said door, the upper side ofsaid frame being.

' adapted to serve as a slideway to maintain a coupling between said door and said operating bar during the opening and closing of said door, a toggle, the arms ofsaid toggle being pivotally mounted in said frame at points intermediate the ends of said'arms,

the free ends of said arms extending beyond the ends of said frame and being normally lower than said slideway,. said free ends being adapted to support the free end of said coupling arm when said door is in either closed for open position, a dog on said coupling-arm adapted to abut against the" 'ends of 'saidframe to lock said 'door in either of said positions, means forthe actu-' ation of saidtoggle arms to lift the end of said coupling arm'to throw the same into en-,

gagement with "said operating bar and to permit said dog to glide onto said slideway during the movement of said door, and

pling arm is permitted to drop out of engagement with said operating bar when said door is in either open orclosed position automy hand at.Cincinnati, Ohio, of February: 1912.

GEORGE J. 'KOSTERS.

means to release said toggle arms during the moyementof said door, whereby sald (3011-4 

